Sonic is known for having some of the best frozen and cold treats of any fast food restaurant.
They also offer special promotions and pricing, especially in the summer, to entice customers to cool down and relax with something cool.
While Sonic has a pretty tried and true menu selection, some items can come and go.
Does Sonic Have Banana Splits?
No, Sonic does not have banana splits on the menu anymore.
You may, however, be able to get one made at your request.
Some Sonic restaurants have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make a banana split.
You can ask them to make a shake, sundae, or ice cream cup that contains all of these ingredients.
It may not be the same as a traditional banana split, but it will have the same flavors.
Some Sonic Restaurants may refuse to make such a treat.
Since the banana split is not a menu item, most Sonic restaurants will not have the proper container to make a banana split, even if they are willing to do so.
You may have to accept it in a cup or a bowl instead.
How Are Banana Splits Made?
Sonic’s banana splits were once made in a specific way.
Customers could, however, request different preparation options if they preferred.
The traditional way to make a banana split consisted of three scoops of vanilla ice cream with a banana half on each side.
Each scoop of ice cream was then topped with a different topping.
One scoop would receive strawberry sauce, another would receive a pineapple topping, and the third would get chocolate fudge.
The entire treat would then be topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with nuts.
At least one cherry would also be added as the finishing touch.
There were many other options that customers could come up with for their banana splits.
Customers were able to choose if they wanted a certain sauce left off, wanted double toppings, or would rather swap one or more toppings for a different type.
They could also choose to leave off the nuts or whipped cream or substitute the nuts for candy toppings.
What Did Sonic Put In Their Banana Splits?
The recipe for a Sonic banana split is very simple and similar to the way other ice cream shops make their banana splits and how many people make them at home.
Sonic used an elongated plastic dish to hold the banana split.
This plastic container was designed specifically for banana splits and was made to hold all the ingredients and offer them in the classic presentation customers expected.
The treat starts with a whole banana being cut in half longways.
Each half is placed on one of the long sides of the container.
Three dollops of ice cream are then added between the bananas.
Chocolate syrup, strawberry topping, and pineapple toppings are added individually to each dollop of ice cream.
The entire dish is topped with whipped cream and nuts, and a cherry was added to each dollop.
Sonic banana splits also came with a plastic lid so you could eat them when you got home.
Sonic also allowed customers to customize their banana split if they preferred a different combination of ingredients and toppings.
At one point, Sonic offered a Banana Split Blast treat.
It was a new take on the classic banana split but used Sonic Blast treats in place of nuts and sauces.
Customers could also decide if they wanted to add the bananas or leave them off.
Since there were so many options for Sonic Blast toppings, this meant there were a lot of options for the Banana Split Blast.
Sonic also had a smaller version of the classic banana split called the junior banana split.
It was marketed as a healthier option, and it was available at a lower price.
The Sonic Junior Banana Split contains all of the same ingredients as the full-size option but in smaller portions.
Instead of three scoops of ice cream, there is only one, and the toppings are all added to that scoop.
This was often advertised as a snack and was recommended for children and those with smaller appetites.
Both the classic banana split and the junior size were discontinued at Sonic at the same time.
When Did Sonic Stop Selling Banana Splits?
Sonic never made an official announcement declaring the end to banana splits, and some Sonic restaurants do still offer them in one form or another.
Most do not have the item listed on their menu.
Most continued to sell them until they ran out of the serving containers.
Others just quietly removed the banana split option from the menu and turned down customers when they attempted to order it.
Most people noticed that the item had started disappearing from menus around 2015.
It wasn’t clear if this was a temporary discontinuation or if it would be long-term.
As time went on, more and more Sonic restaurants removed the banana split from the menu and stopped serving it.
Since some Sonic restaurants do still serve banana splits, there is no official date to when it was stopped.
Why Did Sonic Stop Selling Banana Splits?
There is no clear reason some Sonic restaurants stopped selling banana splits.
The likely reason is that there was less of a demand for this sweet treat in some regions, and those are the restaurants that discontinued the item.
Sonic locations that sold a lot of banana splits are the ones that still offer them on the dessert menu.
Some Sonic restaurants also reduced the menu size to give the employees fewer items to make and to allow them to get the food and treats out faster.
Many Sonic restaurants are very small and don’t have a lot of room for storage or food preparation.
Reducing their product line meant fewer items could be ordered at one time, fewer items needed to be made at a time, and fewer items had to be stored.
Most Sonic restaurants still have most if not all of the ingredients needed to make banana splits.
Many people believe the reason the item was discontinued is that it took too long to make, and it had too many substitution options.
Employees had to split the bananas, arrange them in the container, add each of the toppings, add the whipped cream, and add the nuts and cherries.
While it seems like a simple process, this can take up a lot of time when there are multiple customers with orders and employees are scrambling to get everything done quickly.
By serving items that are fast and easy to serve, Sonic can get more people through the drive-thru line faster and make more money.
Another theory is that the pricing point simply couldn’t meet the cost of the treat.
Banana splits contain a lot of ingredients, much more than most other ice cream options on the menu.
To cover the cost of these items, Sonic would have to inflate the price of the banana split.
Most customers would not be willing to pay the higher price, and thus the banana split would not be a money maker for the restaurant.
Does Sonic Sell Mini Banana Splits?
Some Sonic restaurants do sell Junior Banana Splits, which is their take on a miniature option.
Restaurants that don’t sell the full-size versions are also not likely to sell the junior version either.
The junior version is simply a smaller size.
Many Sonic restaurants that do not advertise or offer banana splits on their menu will make a smaller version in a sundae cup that contains the same ingredients as a banana split.
Some may call it a mini banana split, others call it a banana split sundae, and still others call it a banana split junior.
Since Sonic restaurants do not have the original banana split containers, if they don’t serve it as a menu item, they may only be able to offer it in cups or bowls that are smaller than the traditional banana split and, thus, a mini size.
Does Sonic Make Banana Split Milkshakes?
Sonic has all the ingredients needed to make a banana split, so they can do so in many forms.
Many customers find that they can order a banana split milkshake to enjoy the same flavors as the classic banana split.
Some Sonic restaurants may have a banana split option listed under their milkshake flavors.
If you don’t see it listed, you can simply request to have one made.
You may ask for the flavor of ice cream as a base for the milkshake and then request to have your favorite banana split toppings added to the milkshake.
Sonic restaurants advertise that they are happy to add fresh fruit to any milkshake or treat of your choice, so that includes the banana.
Most will have no problem adding the other toppings, but you may be charged for anything they consider an extra topping.
What Are Sonic’s Signature Desserts?
If your Sonic restaurant doesn’t offer a banana split and won’t make you a variation with the same flavors, there are still plenty of other sweet treats to enjoy.
Sonic is known for all of its cold dessert options, and most restaurants are good about allowing you to customize them if you choose.
You can even order some of these treats with banana split toppings to get the same flavor and texture as the classic dessert, even if it is in a deconstructed or different form.
1. Sonic Blasts
Sonic Blasts are a mixture of Sonic’s soft-serve ice and any combination of candy, fruit, nuts, and other toppings.
There are Sonic Blast recipes to choose from on the menu, but you can also choose to add any other topping you want to customize those recipes and make your Sonic Blast just the way you want it.
2. Milkshakes
Milkshakes are a signature dessert item on every Sonic menu and something the restaurant is known for.
They offer many different flavors of milkshakes ranging from the traditional such as strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate, to flavors that have peanut butter, mint, fruit, and candy mixed in with them.
You can also add whipped cream and toppings if you choose.
Sonic shakes can be a bit chunky, depending on the flavor you choose, so Sonic usually includes both a straw and a spoon with their milkshakes.
3. Sundaes
Sundaes are another traditional ice cream treat that is simple to make and can be customized to your preference.
A Sonic sundae consists of soft-serve ice cream with a flavored syrup or a fruit topping.
Sonic offers several different topping options.
The most common toppings are strawberry, chocolate, and pineapple.
Some Sonic restaurants may also offer caramel as a sundae topping, but this is not typical for most Sonics.
Sundaes can also come with nuts or crumbled cookie toppings.
If you want any other toppings added to your sundae, you can request them as well.
4. Ice Cream Cones
Sonic also offers vanilla soft serve ice cream cones.
These are simple but a nice sweet treat.
Sonic does run different promotions where they offer different flavors from time to time, will add toppings to the ice cream cones, or have special ice cream cone options that are different from the usual plain cone that is regularly available on the menu.
5. Cinnabon Cinnasnacks With Cream Cheese Frosting
Not everything Sonic serves as a dessert is frozen.
Many Sonic restaurants also offer Cinnabon Cinnasnacks.
These are sticks that are similar to cinnamon rolls and are easy to eat on the go.
They are served with a side of cream cheese frosting so you can dip your sticks when you eat them.
Not all Sonic restaurants have these available, and in some locations, they are seasonal options or may come and go from the menu at random.
6. Slushes
Slushes are a very popular Sonic item that comes in many different flavors.
You can also add real fruit to them and even add some candies such as Nerds if you choose.
The flavors can also be mixed, so if you have two or three favorites, you can have them combined into one delicious and refreshing slushy.
You can also have soft serve ice cream added to your slush for an even sweeter flavor.
7. Floats
Floats are a common item found on the Sonic menu.
They can be made with any of the fountain drinks that Sonic serves.
A float consists of a cup of soda with soft-serve ice cream added to it.
The most common way to order a float is with Coke or root beer.
Sonic does offer both.
If you prefer something different, you can try it with another flavor of soda.
You can also turn your favorite slush into a float by asking to have ice cream added to it.
Does Dairy Queen Sell Banana Splits?
Dairy Queen does sell banana splits.
Their banana split recipe is very similar to Sonic’s.
The slight difference is that Sonic usually added peanuts to their banana splits, and Dairy Queen tends to add pecans unless a different type of nut is requested.
The service style, toppings, and flavors are all very similar.
Unlike Sonic, Dairy Queen has made their banana splits a staple item on their menus, and it doesn’t look like this item is leaving the menu anytime soon.
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